sweating? should I blanket?

subsectionx

I think you just some of opur typical NR "lateral" thinking ;)

Answer to how to deal with sweating = "don't get him sweaty in the first place " :p

There is a reason behind the answers - a "work" sweat behaves differently to a "fear" sweat.

Work sweat is through effort. Muscles are warm, blood flowing, and so on. Walking and coller rug make a lot of sense here as you do not want the muscles to chill or cool down too fast.

But basically once the work stops, they will start to cool off and dry off.

Plus this tends to be why we clip horses in the winter - that the amount of fur they have means they get very hot when they work - so we reduce that be clipping some of it off (and then rugging for warmth when they are not working).

A "fear" or "stress" sweat is different. It won't "stop" until the fear or stress is taken away. Its also more likely to be a "cold" sweat i.e. not related to work in the muscles. You still want to manage the speed at which they cool down, but it may be better to keep them calm and quiet, i.e. walking may not help.

By the way, with both sweats you need to be aware of dehydration.

With a "fear/stress" sweat there may be more risk of colic, so be careful about when they get access to food.
 
Re: reg meme

Originally posted by subsectionx
... but you where the only one to answer me and then let me know what you thought other than TELLING me what they thought and forget about the question..

thank you :)
Click to expand...

actually didn't "Still Falling" answer the original question as well ?!
 
I don't mean to be bitchy but Subsection doesn't seem to be very old this could well be where her lack of understanding of horse behaviour and the way in which we have replied I too like Chev and a number of others said to stop him sweating you stop scaring him, if you were working him, we would possibly have suggested a fitness plan as well as mentioning what we already have.

I'm sorry you don't agree but you should read up on horse herd behaviour then decide wether or not you think we have made valid points
 
Im not getting in on the argument Im afraid onto other peoples advice, I did see some valid points, but thats between those people and subsection.

subsection- seriously consider not doing this and getting them in and starting them, as I said I dont feel a problem with some light work with a horse that is rising 3, they should be taught basics, and if you dont want to do that as I said just do groundwork, you can get some great books that will be of help.

I dont know how much time you have, but how about getting some massage books etc and reading up on them and getting someone to show you how to do it with the horses, you can build up a great bond, mine love it!
 
I hadn't thought of massage meme that's a really good idea, what about clicker training too, that instills the idea of learning without it being physically taxing, also depending on how well behaved he is you could walk him out in hand and make sure he is used to all forms of traffic etc

When people talk about free schoolingit is normally carried out with a horse on it's own in an arena, also I personally don't freeschool until mine now what voice commands are and what exactly i want them to do as that avoids any panicking on their part, there is loads you can do with a youngster that is all teaching but in a very controlled and mild manner and it will make your horse more receptive to the backing process when this happens
 
Ill look into the massage.. he is really tame now.. I can touch him anywhere now when before you couldnt even touch him period.. I called the lady that had him before I did and she told me that he did sweat alot. mind she never worked with him, she had him in tide to a post most of the time, when she did let him out and about he got really sweaty... that is one reason I really dont barn him... from him being wild almost to really a pussie cat since Aug. he and I work good together...

please guys dont get me wrong but I get on the defensive some when Im told that Im being mean or scaring my horses.. my vet was out yesterday and I showed him what I do. (the horses start in playing now really with out the crop and plastic) but I should him with the crop and plastic. I only use the plastic at the first stages of the playtime till they got used to me saying play time... he saw how he sweats and we talked about cutting back on the Empower formula that I have been given him. (He was thin and we were putting weight back on him) I am going from 2c to 1c of it in his feed.. the vet thinks that it should help. I told him about what everyone was saying about the fearful bet and all
He told me that he hasnt seen anyone try to do the best for their horses in a long time..

this is why I havent posted any thing on here for a day or so because I wanted him to tell me what I was doing was wrong or right...

So I am sorry if I got upset with anyone.

but he is going to be doing better.. and the vet told me to use his light weight blanket on him after I towel dry him off walk him around for a minute ot too and then let him go back in to the field with his blanket on for an hour and then check him again,, when he is dry to remove it...

I thank all of you for your understanding :)
 
I have 4 horses all Welsh crosses and one is only 2and a half' she loves a game and like the poster' I say OK then lets have a game' I have a large ball which I must admit spend most of the time chasing' but they love it or at least seem to' they buck' kick' spin and just act the fool with each other as they go round the field' when they have had enough or I have, I just say' OK then 'and they all rush over to have whatever I have in my pocket' there is no stress involved and as they live out all the time and are not clipped or rugged I leave them to dry off naturally iff they are sweaty' I have a very close relationship with my lot and only play when I have not time to ride or it is too cold' They seem to love to hear me laugh' and laugh at them I do they are such clowns'
 
I don't want to sound rude, but i think that, reading the early posts, Tootsie4U needs to "lighten up" a bit. I don't beleive any harm is coming to them, and its a bit like monty robertsing them. None of his horses are scared of sash lines, are they?

In regards to the sweating, I have a mare on loan who is quite overweight. (slowly losing it) When I come in from a ride she is COVERED in sweat, but i put on her anti-sweat rug (a net one) and leave her in a stable. In about an hour she is dry. Sometimes I walk her to start with, but then she tends to get bored and tank off to her field. I think you will be fine with what you are doing, but I agree with the fact that you are teaching them to run from plastic. They might not be scared of it, but they are learning that a waving bag means gallop. Maybe you could just start straight away with a lunge whip, or, even better, body language?
 
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Originally posted by StormyJ
I don't want to sound rude, but i think that, reading the early posts, Tootsie4U needs to "lighten up" a bit. I don't beleive any harm is coming to them, and its a bit like monty robertsing them. None of his horses are scared of sash lines, are they?
Click to expand...

Tootsie etc were giving their very valid and experienced opinions. Maybe subsectionx didn't get what they meant but they DID spell it out later in the thread: THIS WAY OF 'EXERCISING' IS PROBABLY STRESSFUL TO THE FOAL AND, THEREFORE, IT WOULD BE BETTER NOT TO GET THE HORSE SWEATY IN THIS MANNER TO START WITH. I don't think that anyone needs to 'lighten up a bit', people have genuine concerns, would you rather that people didn't offer assistance?

Chasing a foal with a plastic bag etc ISN'T how Monty Roberts does Join Up. If you don't recognise the signs of Join Up (Licking and chewing, lowering the head, ear 'locking on' to you) then (as someone pointed out) you are not allowing the horse back to you and are negating the whole point of it.

Also, as has already been pointed out, 'playing' chase with a plastic bag could potentially cause the foal to be afraid of them (the plastic bag is seen as a predator), not exactly the result that you are looking for!

Back to the original question ... I use a Thermatex rug after exercise which I find fantastic and much easier than layering straw under a 'string vest' etc. It wicks away the moisture well and is comfortable for the horse.
 
I would like to point out that I dont chase them around the field with the plastic bag.. I walk into the middle of the field tell the horses playtime and shake to crop witht he bag on it once or twice then put it down.. I then go to my long whip and run it in a circle above my head to keep their focused on me and what I am doing. I dont CHASE them anywhere.. once they go around the field twice then I turn them and they go the other way... I make sure that they get exercise on both sides..
please guys we have had a few post that people did say how they feel about it and I dont want the thread to get put of hand again...

:D :D :D
thank you so much guys for your post
 
Please don't take this the wrong way, or tell me the thread is getting out of hand. But standing in a field waving a lunge whip in the way you've described might not be seen by you as chasing (or driving, if you prefer) the horses away but it will be seen that way by the horses themselves.

Can you make transitions this way? What aids are you using for walk, trot and halt? If you can't make these horses walk round when you ask, halt when you ask, trot when you ask, then yes, what you're doing is chasing (or driving, or sending them away).

It's still stressful, and it's still dangerous, however much you want to justify it.

Megan's mum - allowing a horse, or horses, to play that way with you in the field is the kind of thing that will get someone hurt, or killed. Horses must never be allowed to hooley around a person like that - please read kedwards' post 'all I want for Christmas...'. kedwards just lost her front teeth when the horse she was turning out kicked out in play.

I can't believe people actually think it's ok for horses to gallop around people in play. This is really basic horsemanship stuff - they're bigger, faster, and stronger than we are, and not to have them behave quietly and respectfully around people at all times is plain dangerous.
 
I have to agree with chev here and am living proof of the danger a youngster in full flight can pose as when my girls spooked when in a paddock together they both ran straight for me leaving me no room to get out of the way neither deviated and I got hit by Bramble on my Right side five months on i still have pain in that side, I will always carry a weakness in the four cracked ribs and was very lucky to get away that easily.

I will never advocate driving horses around a field in a group in this way it is simply asking for trouble, my girls only freeschool when they know verbal commands for exactly this reason.

In addition to the phyical risk you are putting yourself in, think about the mental damage, I was terrified of going near her alone that took some time and even now when horses run towards me i have a panic attack it happened today when we turned the horses out in the new herd and they all started running towards us and I came very close to blacking out - that may give you an idea of the pain a 500kg horse running full pelt into you can cause.

if you wish to take that risk that is your choice, but i don't want to hear about it when it goes wrong. I have been told you're a mum i would have hoped you would have more thought for your own safety for this reason if no other
 
enough said' and what suits one person may not be good for another' I have had my 4 horses from babies and we have always played' when they were foals it was hide and seek and they loved it' me riding another horse and them following' I can't see how a horse would charge at you and knock you over unless it is a very small paddock' my field is very large hence me getting tired first' iff I was scareing them why when I say OK do they all come for their bit of carrot out of my pocket and then go off grazing while I clean the field' except for the latest foal who likes to come and help'
 
VERY EASILY!!! and it doesn't matter on the paddock size

When a horse is scared they will be unpredictible. I also play with my youngsters but never to the point that they are running wild around me as that is plainly very dangerous!
 
Being scared has nothing to do with it. I'm sure they're not. What they are is playing, as horses do. What is dangerous is that they're doing that with a person in the field.

The first thing I teach any foal, and I have owned, bred, and handled many, is that they cannot behave that way around me, or any other person. Accidents happen.

What happens if any of your horses are sold on? And it can happen, whatever our plans are. What happens when they charge around playing and knock you over? Or someone else, for that matter?

Horses can be happy, and play, and enjoy being around people and still have basic ground manners - which means they don't play like this while there is a person in their field.

I had a TB colt double-barrel me in the stomach once. He was galloping past me playing with another horse. It happens.

What suits one person may not suit the horse...
 
Just a thought for some of you.....
At our yard we keep mares and geldings seperate. We have 3 geldings in a field and one of the owners plays with them by chasing them away and then turning and running so they chase her.
A few months ago another of the liveries went into the field to collect her gelding, she slipped on some mud and fell over. Her horse ran back and the other 2 ran forward, they ran over her and kicked her in the face several times in the process.They weren't being nasty they thought they were 'playing'.
They fractured her skull,split her nose down the middle and nearly lost her her eye, she will be scarred for life.
I am 9 months pregnant, I had, about a fortnight beforehand sold my gelding and bought a mare who luckily is grazed with other mares-imagine how much worse it could've been had it been me and my unborn child.
 
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